Even though Thilanga Sumathipala led administration has left the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) two months ago, it seems the board Officials and employees are still considering him as the boss! Last month, Sri Lanka U19 Coach Hashan Tillakaratne went behind Sumathipala to get the approval of the Squad and Chief Selector Graeme Labrooy finalized the squad after his approval.
Now, SLC Media Manager Dinesh Ratnasigham has also proved that Sumathipala still holds control in everything!
On August 9, Sumathipala Led administration organized a Press Conference at Colombo Cricket Club (CCC). Though, Sumathipala was not there, his close associates Shammi Silva, Bandula Dissanayake, Sujeewa Godaliyadda were present at the Press Conference to launch a campaign against Sports Minister Faizer Mustapha and his competent authority Kamal Padmasiri.
During the press conference, they blamed Competent Authority to abrupt the progress of Sri Lanka Cricket and claimed that Sumathipala is the best person to rule SLC!
However, for the Press Conference, Dinesh Ratnasigham took SLC hoarding from the headquarter and brought, put at the CCC. During the press conference, that hoarding was visible in the background.
Not only this, the hoarding was kept at CCC even after the press conference finished. On next day, for the the Presentation ceremony of Sri Lanka and India U19 ODI series, SLC made a new hoarding and put it there. The same new hoarding was used yesterday for the Sri Lanka and South Africa ODI series presentation ceremony as well.
That act of Dinesh Ratnasigham, where he preferred Sumathipala Led administration’s press conference over international match presentation ceremony, proves majority of SLC’s loyalty!
It is noteworthy that Dinesh Ratnasigham was brought from the UK as a media manager during Sumathipala tenure at SLC. Though, he had no prior experience at media, instead was working at Lakbima (a news paper owned by Sumathipala family) in the advertising department. Few months ago, after continues failure of Dinesh Ratnasigham as media manager, SLC advertised and hired another media manager named Prasanna Rodrigo. Surprisingly, after that Sumathipala Led administration created a never hear before post ‘Media Logistic Manager’ post for him, when ideally he should have been thrown out of the SLC!
